Dune

Every single time I rewatch Dune, and Part One in particular, I always get that alluring yet sinister feel about it, which is probably why it’s so perfect and rewatchable in my mind. Every planet we visit in this film feels so tangible and textured, as if they are actual planets in our own universe. The crew for this film did such an incredible job at bringing every planet to life— Arrakis in particular. The mix of practical and digital effects in tandem with Fraser’s incredible camerawork— utterly gorgeous. It’s a deeply familial film— the love shown between house Atreides is so clear, and yet, there’s still a distrust and fear deep inside each one of them. From the first couple minutes of the film, Paul wants to go to Arrakis so hard. It calls to him and, despite the dangers, he wants nothing more than to walk upon those sands. He runs so confidently onto the planet for the first time towards Thufir Hawat, surrounded by soldiers. But that fear, that constant alluring nature of Arrakis returns once he steps on the sand during the Ripples in the Sand sequence. It is there where he experiences Spice for the first time and one of the first real encounters with true danger. Maybe my favorite scene of the film, mostly thanks to the editing and score, is when Paul is faced head-on with the dangers that the future holds in that tent, under the sands. He experiences his most potent prescient vision yet and is faced with the horror that could unfold from his own hands, and the way that Villeneuve portrays this prescience is just so fucking impactful and goes back to the alluring, yet sinister nature of this world. You feel Paul’s growth throughout the film as he steps up and does what he has to do, but you still feel that inexperience. He still has a long way to go. My Road Leads into the Desert.